Raspberry Almond Cake

Wuthering Heights: A Gothic Romantic Feast

Across the boundless moors, beneath shifting skies, stands Wuthering Heights, the unwelcoming and treacherous setting of our gothic literary feast. While Catherine Earnshaw, Heathcliff and their tormented heirs have long since passed, their spirits remain bound to this weathered and wild setting. Emily Brontë’s timeless and only novel is a complex tale that begins with foreboding scratches at the window by a restless ghost, weaves through the troubled and violent relationships of the inhabitants of Wuthering Heights, reaches a frenzied peak with Cathy and Heathcliff’s final moment of passion, and painfully illustrates the lasting effects of Heathcliff’s own abuse and the resulting campaign of vengeance he carries out on everyone around him.

Each recipe leads us through this gripping story, reflecting the rugged environment, the social status of its inhabitants and pivotal moments that drive the plot. We invite you to devour these recipes either one at a time, at a wintery or Valentine’s (Galentine’s) Day dinner party, or at your next book club!

Luxury at the Lintons

On one of Cathy and Heathcliff’s adventures out on the moors, they discover Thrushcross Grange, the elegant home of siblings Edgar and Isabella Linton. When Cathy is injured, she is taken in by the Lintons who simultaneously shun Heathcliff. Cathy ends up staying at the Grange for weeks, removing her from the windswept moors and her unrestrained relationship with Heathcliff and introducing her to a life of luxury – refined clothing, indulgent sweets, the comforts of an elegant drawing room and the ardent admiration of the Lintons. Cathy’s time at the Lintons has a lasting impact, changing the trajectory of her life and her relationship with Heathcliff.

Delicate and refined, this almond tea cake reflects the cultivated elegance and restraint of the Grange – ornamental, indulgent and adorned with flowers, much like Catherine who emerges from her stay at the Grange transformed from her formerly wild and untamed youth. The delicate flavour of almonds pairs beautifully with fresh, juicy raspberries in this decadent tea time treat. Tender layers of sweet almond cake are made with finely ground almonds and fragrant almond extract. Fresh raspberries add a delicate flavour and colour to the pink buttercream, while a layer of tangy raspberry jam balances the sweetness of these cakes. Decorated with fresh flowers, these raspberry almond cakes are just elegant enough to tempt Catherine away from her beloved childhood friend, Heathcliff.

More Wuthering Heights Recipes

• Beef and Ale Stew with Suet Dumplings
• Yorkshire Oatcakes with Honey
• Split Pea Soup
• Raspberry Rose Cocktail
• Cider Braised Chicken with Bacon and Leeks

Ingredients

Almonds: A small amount of the flour is swapped out for almond flour which gives the cake a slightly toothsome texture. Almond extract is also added to the batter for even more flavour.

Raspberries: This cake uses raspberries in two ways. A seedless raspberry jam is used as the filling between the cake layers while a fresh raspberry purée adds colour and flavour to the buttercream. If possible, use fresh raspberries for the buttercream. You could use frozen, although they might have a higher water content and you may need to adjust the amount of purée that you use.

Buttermilk: Using buttermilk in the cake batter imparts a slight tangy flavour, helps with leavening, and keeps the texture of the cake soft and moist. It is the acid in buttermilk that does all these things so if you don’t have buttermilk, you can use a substitute. Add 1 tsp lemon juice or vinegar to an equal amount of milk and let sit for a couple of minutes. Then proceed with the recipe.

Cake pans: To make individual sized cakes, you will need to divide the batter between two quarter sheet pans. A quarter sheet pan is equivalent to a 13 x 9 inch cake pan, which you can use as a substitute.

Make the cake batter

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line two quarter sheet pans with parchment paper and coat with non-stick spray. Alternatively, use two 13 x 9-inch baking pans. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the softened butter and sugar. Beat on low for a minute just to combine the butter and sugar. Scrape down the sides and turn the speed up to medium high. Beat for 2 to 3 minutes or until the butter is lightened in colour and fluffy.

Turn the mixer down to low and add the almond extract and vegetable oil along with one egg. Mix until the egg is fully incorporated, scraping down the sides as needed. Add the remaining eggs, one at a time, beating until fully combined. Once all the eggs have been added, turn up the speed to medium and beat for another minute until the mixture is thick, fluffy, and fully emulsified. Turn off the mixer.

Meanwhile, in a separate bowl combine the flour, almond flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Whisk together until there are no lumps, then set aside.

Turn the mixer back on low. Add one third of the flour mixture and mix just until the flour is mostly incorporated. Pour in half the buttermilk mixture and continue beating until it is mostly incorporated. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides. Repeat by adding another third of the flour followed by the remainder of the buttermilk. Add the last of the flour and mix on low just until the batter is fully combined.

Bake the cakes

Use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl and make sure there are no streaks of unmixed butter in the batter. Divide the cake batter between the pans and smooth the tops. Bake for 22 to 25 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean and the top springs back when touched. Let the cakes cool for 5 minutes then turn out onto a rack to cool completely.

Make the buttercream

In a food processor or blender, purée the raspberries. Transfer the raspberry purée to a fine mesh strainer set over a mixing bowl. Use a spatula to work the raspberry purée through the strainer to extract the purée from the seeds. Discard the seeds. You should have about half a cup of purée.

In a stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, whip the softened butter. Beat the butter on medium for about 5 minutes until it’s lightened in colour and fluffy. Add half the icing sugar and mix on low just until combined. Add 4 tbsp of the raspberry purée and mix on low to combine. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the remaining icing sugar. Continue beating on low to combine. Add another 3 to 4 tbsp of raspberry purée to make a soft buttercream that will spread and pipe easily.

Assemble the cakes

Use a 3-inch cutter to cut out 12 circles from each sheet pan for a total of 24 circles. This will make either 12 two-layer cakes or 8-three layer cakes. I find it easier to assemble and frost these as two layer cakes.

Transfer some of the butter cream to a piping bag fitted with a wide round tip. For each layer, pipe a ring of buttercream around the cake circle. Use a spoon to spread the buttercream and make a well to hold the jam. Spoon a little of the jam into the well. Top with another cake circle pressing gently to seal. If making three-layer cakes, add another layer.

Transfer the filled layers to a baking sheet and place in the freezer. This will make frosting the outside of the cakes much easier. When the cakes are frozen, remove from the freezer and use an offset spatula to frost the outside and tops of the cakes. I find it easiest to hold the cakes by the top and bottom to spread the buttercream around the outside of the cake. Once the sides are done, you can frost the top.

Serve the Raspberry Almond Cake

Transfer the cakes to a serving platter and garnish with fresh flowers. Enjoy!